A True, True Friend
by thebronyexpress
Summary: When Rainbow Dash fears her friends don't want her around anymore she runs off. Her friends go after her, of course, to remind her of the magic of friendship and that she would always be loved by her true, true friends.
1. No Time to Talk

I soar across the sky. My wings flapping with every beat of my heart. The adrenaline flowing through my veins. Dipping and diving across the clear blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. _Cloudsdale must be lazy today._ I think.

I close my wings and dove through the air. With my wings folded I cuts through the wind with ease. About a yard from the hard ground, I open my wings and burst into the air.

"Nice one, Dash!" a voice yells. I whirl around to find see Applejack with two barrels of apples on her back.

"Thanks, AJ," I say.

"Ya think y'all could take a break from yer fancy flyin' to help me deliver these apples?"

"Yeah, sure," I reply, "So where are you taking them?" I ask as she takes one of the barrels and places on my back.

"I'm takin' 'em to Ponyville to sell 'em at the farmers market," she answers.

"Oh," I say, "So when you're done do you want to go hang out?"

"I'd love to, Dash, but I can't." she says as we begin the walk to Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres, "I've got to watch the market until the apples are sold."

"Couldn't one of the other Apples watch it?"

"Nah. Big Mac's out on pie delivery, Granny's visitin' family, and Apple Bloom is too young."

"Well, maybe lunch?"

"Nah, I've gotta buck the apples 'for they're rottin'."

"Do you do anything but work?" I ask.

"Well when I'm done working I usually bake pies, fritters, cobblers, all made from the freshest-"

"Apples, yeah I know," I say, irritated that my friend can't do anything without apples. For the love of Celestia it's in her name! "Whatever. Just find me when you are doing things not involving fruit." I say.

Together we drop off the barrels. Applejack apologizes for not ever being around. I roll my eyes. _I need a more reliable best friend. _I think. I leave the market and think of my friends that I could hang out with.

Applejack. She's busy at the market.

Twilight. Celestia assigned her tons of books, no one has seen her for three days.

Fluttershy. She's off to study creatures in Saddle Arabia.

Rarity. She has a huge order due two days from now. She has no time to talk.

Pinkie Pie. Yes! Pinkie is always looking for some fun. We could have lunch together, we could pull some awesome pranks, or we could just hang out together. Oh yes, Pinkie is the perfect mare to hang out with. I take to the air and fly to Sugar Cube Corner. When I arrive I push the door open with my hoof. The smell of sweet treats overwhelms me. Cupcakes, pies, cakes, candy, and other desserts decorate the room and fill it with their sweet aroma. The bright pinks and soft yellows make the room feel warm and exiting. I trot over to the front counter which is being manned by Mrs. Cake.

"Hello, Mrs. Cake. Is Pinkie in her room?" I ask.

"She is. She will be happy to see you. She's been quite lonely as of late," she says in a voice as sweet as her desserts.

"I see. Thank you," I walk up stairs and knock on the door. A sad Pinkie opens the door but when she sees me her ears perk up and her eyes brighten.

"Dashie!" She says as she hugs me. "Oh, I'm so, so, so glad you came for a visit. Everypony has been so busy lately and I've been so lonely. It's good to see a friend."

"I'm happy to see you too!" I say. "But could you let go of me, your hug is getting so tight you might squeeze me to death."

"Oops! Sorry!" She says as she lets go. "I was just really lonely."

I laugh. "I could tell," I say.

"So why'd you come over?" she asks.

"Well I've been feeling lonely to," I say, "And I wanted to invite you to lunch and maybe hang out today." A large smile formed on the pony's lips as her ears perked up. "I'll take that as a yes," I say.

**Authors Note: So this is my first fan fiction I've ever written. And this is the first thing I've ever published. But we've all had to start somewhere right? Honestly I just started writing and the plot is still developing in my mind. So just bear with me please and I'd love to hear your opinion on my writing. Thank you!**


	2. Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right

After a full afternoon of hanging out with Pinkie Pie, I'm exhausted. I pick out a perfect cloud with a full view of Ponyville. But I don't plan to use it for sightseeing. I plan to use it for napping. I snuggle in the fluffy white softness for my pillow and, since it's a little chilly today, use my wings as a blanket. I've hardly drifted off for a few seconds when I hear Applejack calling me from below. I fly down to see her.

"Rainbow Dash, I've been lookin' for ya everywhere. I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday."

I shrug. "That's like the fourth time you've apologized."

"Well, when are ya gonna forgive me?"

"Maybe when I've heard it five times."

Applejack sighs, "Fine, I'm sorry. There that's five."

"You are forgiven," I say, "So, do you want to hang out tomorrow?"

"Nah, I've gotta deliver apples to Hoofington."

"So let me get this straight, you search all over Ponyville for me to apologize two more times, just to blow me off?" I'm getting mad now.

"Well yeah. But I'm staring to doubt that I'll be able to hang out soon."

"I'm starting to doubt that you're really my friend!" I yell. Applejack's eyes start to water.

"Rainbow, w-why would you say that? Of course I'm your friend!"

"Well start acting like it! You never hang out with me, you blow me off for work, but you somehow manage to go to Pinkie's parties, Fluttershy's picnics, and Rarity's fashion shows. But you can never hang out with me. Couldn't you put down your apples for once? For me?" I say.

"Rainbow, my family live off the money we make from selling these apples," she says, clearly irritated with me, "I'm sorry but the other pony's activities are just..."

"Just?" I say raising my eyebrow.

"Just a little more important."

"Ouch that hurts." I say because it really does.

"Sorry, but fun and important are two different things. When you have something important to do, give me a shout,"

"When you decide to be my friend, give me a shout."

"Rainbow I know I'm not always around but you should find a way to deal with it."

"Ha! Says the pony who's parents are never around. It isn't as easy as you think."

"That's different-"

"Yeah, it's not easy to be alone because your parents are dead!" She's bawling now, I've hit her hard. I know it. I was trying to. But I start to regret it as I see the streams of water fall from her eyes, "Applejack, I didn't mean-"

"Just sh-shut up."

"AJ..."

"Just shut up and leave me alone!" She yells and runs away, knocking over two apple barrels and shoving a few ponies out of the way. I think about going after her, but dismiss it. She needs to be alone. She's hurt. She's hurt because of me...

I pick up the apples from the two barrels but the fall caused half of the apples to bruise, so now there is only one barrel to sell. I fly down to Sweet Apple Acres. Not to talk to Applejack, but to give back the apples. I see Big Macintosh apple bucking in the north fields.

"Hey Big Mac," I say.

"Hey."

"Is Applejack here?"

"Eeyup."

"Is she okay?" I ask.

"Nope," he says, "You upset her pretty bad."

"Oh, well I'm here to deliver these apples she left. Half of them bruised so here's the money for those since it's kind of my fault."

"Eeyup," he says, "Thanks. Should I tell her you came by?"

"No. I'm gonna leave her alone for now."

"Alright," he says. There is really nothing more to say, so I just poke the ground with my hoof until he breaks the silence. "Well, I've got some work to do so..."

"So I better go."

"Yeah," he says.

"See you later."

"Eeyup, he says. I take off, looking back until I can't see the fields anymore. Then I look forward. _How on earth will I apologize for what I said?_ I think. Well, Twilight is the expert on friendship. She'll know how I can apologize for what I said. So I speed up and head to the library.

**Authors Note: So I have a few views which is good. So I'm going to keep on writing to see where this story goes. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Forgive, Forget, and Throw a Party

It seems like yesterday I walked through these same apple orchards. Actually it was a week ago. Big Mac told me I hurt her bad, so I decided to let her cool off for a while. _"Brr..." _I think, _"Ponyville has cooled off too." _The temperature has chilled as the bright sun tries to fight its way through the thick gray clouds. It's the middle of the day but it still feels like dawn. I approach the big red door to her barn-house, but as I lift my hoof to knock on the wood, Applejack appears before me in the doorway. "Hey, AJ."

"Howdy, RD," she replies, "I was just on my way to see you. Tell ya I'm sorry fer the way I acted the other day. I overreacted. I just-"

"No, Applejack. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just dug down to find the most hurtful thing I could say. I was just angry."

"I'd say we both overreacted the other day," she says as a slight grin forms across her lips but quickly disappeared. "What happened to us?" she mumbles.

"To us?" I say. "But I thought we made up?"

"We did. It's just-" she sighs, "None of us see each other any more. We've all gotten so busy lately. We have no time for our friendship."

"You're right," I say. She looks at the grass and frowns. "I think it's time we fixed that. And I know just the pony."

"Applejack! Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie yells as she runs up and hugs us. "Here," she says as she places a cupcake in my hoof. Frosting the same shade as my light blue coat, with my rainbow lightning bolt cutie mark on the top. I look at Applejack's cupcake. Frosting the orange color of her coat with her red apple cutie mark on top. And now Pinkie has a cupcake too. Once again it has pink frosting to match her coat with the blue and yellow balloons to top it off. "Apple for Applejack, blueberry for Dashie, and pink lemonade for me!" Pinkie says then takes a bite of her cupcake. Frosting gets in her coat but you can hardly tell because the color is so accurate.

I take a bite of mine and notice the rainbow sprinkles inside. It's delicious. Applejack gingerly takes a bite of her cake but soon dives right in. Her's must be good too. Pinkie finished her cupcake not even bothered to clean the mess she made of herself. Yellow and blue color her face and I don't even want to know how she managed to get light pink frosting in her hot pink mane. Rubbed it on her head perhaps? I shrug. _"Leave it to Pinkie," _I think.

"Soooo," she says, "How's it taste? How's it taste?! HOW'S IT TASTE?!" I hear Applejack laugh but I soon realize it wasn't at Pinkie, it was at me. I hadn't even realized I was licking the frosting off my hooves. I blush.

"Well, I think I speak fer the both of us when I say that was the best cupcake of yers we've ever had," she chuckles, "Right, Rainbow?"

"Yeah they were!" I say as I wipe off my sticky hoof with a napkin.

"Thank ya kindly fer them fancy cakes, Pinkie. Ya didn't have to do that fer us."

"Oh, it was no biggie!" Pinkie says. "If my friends can go out of their way to pay me a visit, I can go out of my way to make them a super special, super tasty cupcake!" She walks over behind the counter. "Plus business has been kinda slow. So I have more free time to do this," she walks over to us and show us a tray. I look at it. It is a cupcake tray. Three cakes have been removed, and eaten I suppose, but three are left untouched. A soft yellow cupcake with a pink butterfly on top, a white cupcake with a blue diamond on top, and a light purple cupcake with a magenta star on top.

Pinkie Pie sighs. "Lemon for Fluttershy, vanilla for Rarity, and grape for Twilight," she says, "I go out of my way to make super, duper special cupcakes for my super, duper special friends, and they don't even bother to pay me a visit!" Her eyes start to water and I fear she might cry. I give her a hug as Applejack gets a napkin and cleans the frosting from her mane and coat.

"Well, that's just why we're here, Pinkie," Applejack says, "We feel like we haven't been spending much time together."

"And I think it's time we fix that," I say.

"A party!" Pinkie exclaims.

"Do you really think is the best way to get us together again?"

Pinkie Pie bounces in front of me wearing a round basket on her head with ropes that secured it at her chin. Inside of the basket was three invitations, since she had already invited AJ and me. "Of course it's the best way! Parties are the best solution for everything!" she says!

"No offense, Pinkie, but that's your answer for like everything!" I say.

She stops bouncing and mimics my voice, "Well, duh! It's because I'm awesome!" she says, "No offense, Dashie, but that's your answer for like everything!" she mocks me with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

I frown. "I do not sound like that! Do I? Tell me I don't talk like that!"

Pinkie shrugs. "If it helps ya sleep at night, Dashie," she says, "Ah! We're here!" She hops along the path to Fluttershy's cottage.

_"Do I really talk like that?"_ I think, _"No, Pinkie was just poking fun. Or was she?"_ Her words repeat in my mind.

_"Well, duh! It's because I'm awesome!" "No offense, Dashie, but that's your answer for like everything!"_

As the words echo through my head a terrible thought comes to mind. What if I'm the reason our friends didn't want to hang out anymore? I think of myself. I've always thought I was awesome. Everything about me is perfect. I walk over to Fluttershy's small pond and look at my reflection in the clear water and try to picture myself through other pony's eyes.

I'm short. I never realized I was. I'm in the middle of my friends. I can see eye to eye with Pinkie Pie. I'm an inch or two shorter than Twilight and Rarity. But Applejack is a whole head taller than me. Even though I'm an athlete, my body doesn't look like it. It looks small and thin. My wings are strong though. They don't look like they belong on my body. "No wonder they made fun of me in flight school," I tell myself. I notice my voice. My voice cracked three times in one sentence. I sound like a filly. My voice isn't much higher than Pinkie Pie's. _"Oh! I'm an embarrassment!" _I think. I look into the magenta eyes of my reflection and see that I'm about to cry. If Pinkie were to come out right now she'd see me crying. I just need a few minutes to compose myself and-

"Rainbow Dash! Come here!" Pinkie's voice said.

_"Oh no!"_ I think. I brush my mane in front of my puffy, red eyes and use my hoof to wipe my tears but you can still see the damp fur where the tears fell. I try to steady my voice. Crying makes the cracking worse. "I'm coming!" I say as I headed up to the cottage.

**Authors Note: So this story is going well I think. I think I finally got a good idea for a story. So, yeah. I hope y'all are liking it! Or does it need to be about 20% cooler? Haha! Just kidding. Bye!**


	4. Doing Them a Favor

"Oh, how I've missed us all being together!" Rarity exclaims, "I just love these little soirees Pinkie throws!"

"Thanks, Rar!" Pinkie replies, "But it was Applejack and Rainbow's idea to get us all together again." She throws a smile at me, "Are you enjoying the party Rainbow?"

It's such a simple question and the smile says she is being friendly, but those cerulean eyes burn into me and I feel like I'm being interrogated. "Umm...yeah it's, uh...awesome."

No wonder blue flames are hotter than orange. Her blue eyes stare a me so hard I feel like I'm about to catch fire. Those eyes are so...judgmental. No, no. She isn't judging me. Or is she? She must be. I'm sure of it. How could you not judge a Pegasus like me? I'm not awesome. Even my friends know that. I'm not a winner, I'm a loser. I bring shame to Cloudsdale and Pinkie Pie knows it. Those eyes laugh and scoff at me.

_ "If Pinkie knows how awful I am, how many other ponies know?" _I think to myself.

"Great!" Pinkie says.

The mindless chatter babbles on between my friends.

"I love these cupcakes, Pinkie Pie!" says Twilight.

_"Awful! I'm Awful!"_

"Thanks, Twi!" Pinkie replies, "Thanks for bringing these sandwiches Fluttershy."

_"No I'm worse than that. My friends are so nice for putting up with me."_

"You're welcome. I just love being with my friends again."

_"They are so kind, they won't even tell me how terrible I am. They probably don't want me to hang around them. Why would they?"_

"I love it too," Applejack says.

_"I should get rid of myself for them and do them a favor. I should just-"_

"Rainbow, darling, are you alright?"

I snap back into reality. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright," says Rarity, "Oh! I must tell you girls all about my newest client! He's a fashion designer from Fillydelphia-"

I stop listening again. My heart aches. I must do this. For my friends. For Ponyville. For Equestria.

I can't sleep. I look at my clock. It's one in the morning. Now's as good a time as ever. I get up out of bed slowly. I'm exhausted but alive with energy at the same time.

Since ponies don't wear clothes, I pack my saddlebag with a few small belongings. My Wonderbolt Academy badge, the badge given to me from Spitfire, my Daring Do books, my Equestria Games medal, and a picture of my friends. I step out of my cloud-house and feel the cold air nip my muzzle. It's going to be a long flight. I spread my wings and fly off, leaving Ponyville behind me. My heart aches. I'll miss them, but they sure won't miss me. Is it raining? No it's my tears. Is this the right thing to do? It must be. Then why does it feel wrong? Shut up and keep flying! And I do.


	5. Apple Pie

**POV: Pinkie Pie**

Dawn shines through the windows covering my room. My eyes squint as they've gotten used to the darkness of sleep. I walk down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Hmm...cupcakes or a proper, nutrition-filled breakfast?" I ask myself. "Cupcakes!"

I get get a leftover cupcake from the party yesterday. "Maybe I should take one to Rainbow Dash. She seemed like she was having a bad day yesterday," I say. "Oh Pinkie! You've got to stop talking to yourself!"

As I walk up to Rainbow Dash's cloud-house, something inside me doesn't feel right. _"Must've been that cupcake for breakfast," _I think.

"RAINBOW DASH! RAAAINBOW DAAASH!" I yell. I can't knock on her door because only Pegasi can walk on clouds.

"Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Da-wait a minute. That isn't Dashie's voice. It's Twilight's. Just then a blue-green eye peers over the clouds.

"Fluttershy? Twilight? What are you doing here?"

They fly down to me. Twilight's eyes are wide with panic. You don't have to be a super-smart-smarty-pants to know something is wrong. "Twilight, what's wro-"

"Rainbow Dash is missing, Pinkie!" says Twilight. "We don't know where she is. Do you?"

"No," I say.

Twilight lets out a deep sigh. "We searched everywhere in her house, and I sent Spike to fetch Applejack and Rarity. Right now they all should be looking for her."

Fluttershy finally speaks up, "She must have left town last night. She could be miles away by now. And she is such a fast flier, oh, I'm not sure if we can catch up to her."

I knew something was wrong yesterday. I look at my cupcake I was going to give her. The exact shade of her coat, with her cutie mark on it. I wonder I will ever see her again. No. No! I will see her. I will see my best friend again.

"We have to find her." I say.

I don't think I've ever sounded so serious in my life.

**POV: Applejack**

Sweat drips down my face. It's only morning and I'm already exhausted. I feel like lead runs through my veins. Not to mention it feels like I ate a lead ball for supper last night. Now it is weighing me down as I work in the barn.

I grab the rope holding a bale of hay together with my mouth and drag it to a cart. I'm about to grab the next one when a frantic knock on the door makes my ears perk up. I canter to the door and open it to find a little purple dragon, as tall as my fore leg. Spike's covered in sweat and out of breath as if he ran here. Odd considering Sweet Apple Acres is miles away from Ponyville, a good twenty minutes. Something must be wrong. The "lead" in my body grows heavier.

"Spike, what's wrong?" I ask.

"Rainbow! Missing! Last night! Help!" he yelps.

"Woah there! Slow down lil' feller. Now, what'd ya say 'bout Dash?

"Rainbow Dash..." he puffs,"went missing...last night!...We need...your help!"

My ears go back so far I'm afraid they absorbed into my head. Rainbow Dash is missing. I feel like an apple tree. Roots so deep into the ground I can't move. I gotta find her. Nothing else matters until she's back.

"Y'all need my help?" I ask. I move closer to Spike and point to my back with my muzzle. "Hop on," I say to him.

He gets on my back and I immediately break into run. I gallop as fast as I can and spot Spike who's looking a little queasy. "Y'all alright back there Spike? Yer lookin' a little green." I forgot Twilight has never ran this fast with him.

"Yeah...I just..." his cheeks puff like he's about to vomit, but he suppresses it. "Could you slow down? I'd rather not vomit on your coat."

"No time." I snap. "And ya better not vomit on me."

He's as green as his scales now. But I pay him no mind. Discarding my unfinished chores. Forgetting to leave a note for Granny Smith and Big Mac to tell them where I'm going. Leaving everything behind. Only one thing matters now, and it's to find Rainbow Dash.

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for me to get the new chapter out. School's been crazy lately. But I finished it! I think the different point of views went pretty well. School has toned down a bit so I think I'll be able to get the next chapter out sooner Bye!**

**Pssst! SPOILER ALERT!: It's Fluttershy and Rarity!**


	6. On Her Tail

POV: Rarity

Evening starts to darken the Library as Spike lights the candles. The five of us, six if you include Spike, have been thinking for hours of why Rainbow might have left. We haven't even eaten since breakfast. Well I was only half way through my delicious breakfast when Applejack burst through my door and Spike threw up on my floor. I'd lost my appetite...

"Eww! Gross, gross, gross!" I screamed.

"Stop yer girly whining and help us find Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said. Desperation to find our friend filled her voice. But her eyes said something more...

"Whatever has happened to Rainbow Dash? I asked.

"She ran off," Spike wheezed.

"She wha-?" I said, "Out of all the worst possible things, this is the wo-"

"Now don't you start," Applejack snapped, clearly irritated.

"Well beg pardon for trying to show concern for our missing friend," I puffed, "Now we best be off. There is no time to waste!"

"B-but how?" Fluttershy squeaked, "She's miles ahead and no doubt flying. We'll never catch up on hoof.

An idea pops in my head. "Or maybe we can... "

Hours later we have a chariot with Pinkie's slightly modified party cannon attached to the back. It should blast us forward as far as it can and once it runs out Twilight and Fluttershy will take over.

"I am so sorry, darlings! I do hate tying you two up like mules but it is for the greater good." I yank on the harness. "To tight?"

"A-a little," Twilight says.

"So sorry, dear," I loosen the harnesses. "Better?"

"Better," they agree in unison.

"Good. Let us be off. Ready Pinkie?"

"Mhm!" She exclaims. One tug on the rope in her mouth would send us flying in the air. I do regret leaving her in control of the cannon, but it is hers and I wouldn't dare put a filthy rope in my mouth. I hop in the chariot and get situated looking at Pinkie and giving her the signal to pull the rope. As soon as she does we're off. She hops in the seat next to me and gives me a reassuring smile but I can see in her eyes that she wants the answers to the same questions I have. The ones we all have...

Where is Rainbow?

Why did she leave?

Where is she going?

Is she okay?

And most importantly...

Will we ever see our dear friend again?

POV: Fluttershy

The cannon got us out of Ponyville and past the Everfree then Twilight and I took over. Not going nearly as fast as before but still covering good ground. The sun's going down and my wings are weary. I have no doubt Twilight feels the same way. We're almost out of hope and energy when I spot a golden sparkle on a cloud. "G-guys... D-down there!" Twilight follows my lead and lands on the cloud. Upon closer examination I see a lightning bolt with gilded wings. The name of the object is about to leave my mouth when...

"HER WONDERBOLT BADGE! IT'S RAINBOW DASH'S WONDERBOLT BADGE!" The screaming pink pony exclaims.

Twilight picks it up and examines it. "It sure is. It doesn't look like it has been here for long. We could catch her if we left now and-"

A small snore erupts from Rarity, cutting Twilight off.

"Or maybe we should just sleep for now..."

Her words are music to my ears. Without even bothering to remove my harness, I collapse on the soft cloud beneath me and fall asleep.

**Authors Note: Very sorry it's been so long in between updates. Life gets in the way some times. But I am very happy that I now get to sit down and add chapters to this story. I think it is coming along well and I'm excited to see where it goes. :)**


End file.
